Analysis, Predictions Mark Health Law’s First Anniversary

Media outlets examine the dynamics that continue to mark the health overhaul at its one-year mark - including the public confusion that swirls around it, the varying factions involved in its implementation and the expectations for its future.

The Associated Press: Obama's Health Care Overhaul Taking Root In A Divided NationA year after President Barack Obama signed his health care overhaul, the law remains so divisive that Americans can't even agree on what to call it. Even so, it is taking root in the land (Alonzo-Zaldivar, 3/21).

National Journal: At The One-Year Mark, Industry Groups Dodge The Limelight The nation's leading hospital and physician groups, whose support proved crucial to getting President Obama's giant health reform package written, paid for, and passed, will take a decidedly low-profile approach next week as the law reaches its one-year mark (DoBias, 3/18).

Los Angeles Times: California Small Businesses Still Unclear On Provisions Of Health Care Reform Law, Poll FindsNearly a year after President Obama signed his landmark health overhaul, most small businesses in California are still unaware of provisions in the law designed to help them provide their employees with health benefits, according to a new poll (Levey, 3/20).

Kaiser Health News: On Health Law's Anniversary: Predictions For Next YearKaiser Health News asked 12 players from across the nation what they thought they would have accomplished by next year's anniversary of the health law, or what issues they expect to be central in the ongoing debate (KHN staff, 3/20).

The Hill: Year Two Of Health Reform Promises More Fights Chief among the decisions taking shape over the next year is how much flexibility states will have to structure health insurance exchanges where individual and small-group plans will be offered, and how generous those plans will have to be (Pecquet, 3/21).

The Hill: Health Reform Backers Ready Defense President Obama's health care reform law remains as controversial as ever one year after its enactment as Democrats and reform proponents prepare to celebrate the anniversary with almost 200 events across the country next week (Pecquet, 3/19).

The Washington Post: The Fact Checker: Gifts Of Bogus Statistics For The Health-Care Law's BirthdayHouse Democrats held a birthday party last week for passage of the health-care law. Just as we looked at Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell's floor speech noting the milestone, we will now examine some of the claims made by Democrats (Kessler, 3/21).

This is part of the KHN Morning Briefing, a summary of health policy coverage from major news organizations. Sign up for an email subscription.